Public health: From politicization to a path forward

Lifting the mask mandate puts our priorities in plain sight

“…As a result, individuals were permitted to use their discretion regarding the use of masks while traveling on any form of public transportation. The ruling calls into question the authority of the CDC to make decisions regarding public health protections, which may have far‐reaching implications 2 . This mandate was overturned at a time when only 66% of the US population were fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and approximately 18 million children under 5 years of age were ineligible to receive the vaccine 3,4 .…”

“…The ruling calls into question the authority of the CDC to make decisions regarding public health protections, which may have far-reaching implications. 2 This mandate was overturned at a time when only 66% of the US population were fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and approximately 18 million children under 5 years of age were ineligible to receive the vaccine. 3,4 The discontinuation of the mask mandate places marginalized populations-including those employed in the transportation industry as well as those who primarily depend on public transportation for their daily commute-at higher risk for COVID-19 infection.…”